


Don't Say a Word

by droideka



Series: Big Buff Butch Shepard [1]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Dirty Limericks, F/F, Fighting Dirty, Lesbian Character, Lesbian Character of Color, Oral Sex, Renegade Shepard (Mass Effect), Semi-Public Sex, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-12
Updated: 2019-07-12
Packaged: 2020-06-26 18:20:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19773793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/droideka/pseuds/droideka
Summary: Ashley and Shepard are trying to keep their relationship quiet. They aren't doing a great job of it.





	Don't Say a Word

By the time Ashley rejoined the _Normandy_ , Shepard had run out of sparring partners. She had rotated through the crew twice (at least the crewmen who were confident/fit/foolish enough to accept her offer) and ruined her chances with all of them. Not even Vega would spar with her. Not after the bloody nose she gave him in the last round.

Six feet tall and 175 odd pounds, Shepard wasn’t just intimidating. She was brutal. Despite her years of service, military life didn’t instill in Shepard any kind of restraint. The habits of a life of street fighting on Earth were hard to break. Hence the bloody nose.

But Ashley Williams was confident, fit, and possibly foolish enough to rise to the challenge.

Ashley and Shepard stood on opposite sides of the makeshift ring that Vega had set up in the cargo hold. Shepard shifted her weight restlessly from foot to foot while Ashley slowly and methodically wrapped her hands. Ashley stole a look at Shepard as she wound the tape around her wrist. Her gleeful anticipation showed through the grin on her face, which softened the hard edges of her sharp features. Ashley was reminded of the way her younger sisters would fidget impatiently while her father said grace on Christmas morning. Christmas had come early on the _Normandy_ for Shepard, it seemed.

“You’re killing me, Williams,” Shepard said after the third pass of the tape around Ashley’s hands.

“Safety first, Shepard,” Ashley replied sweetly.

“The Reapers are gonna die of old age before you even throw a punch.”

“Good things come to those who wait,” Ashley said. Ashley flexed her wrapped fingers then tightened them into fists. She gave Shepard a challenging look as she shifted into a ready stance. “And I’ve been waiting a long time to kick your ass for disappearing from the galaxy.”

Shepard did the same. “I came back, didn’t I?”

They began to circle each other in the ring, watching the other closely. Shepard still had a grin on her face.

“Who’s gonna kick all the asses that need kicking if I’m not here?” Shepard asked.

Ashley matched Shepard’s grin with a smirk. _“‘All’_ the asses?” She responded.

“Y’know. The Reapers, Cerberus, the politicians –”

“—the logistics, the strategy, the coordination?”

“That too.”

Ashley darted forward and hit Shepard squarely in the shoulder. She looked surprised at the hit – whoever Shepard had been sparring, they apparently weren’t landing many hits. Shepard made a retaliatory strike but Ashley dodged out of the way.

“You can’t brute force your way through every problem, skipper,” Ashley said.

“Yeah, but you’d be surprised by how many you can,” Shepard replied.

Shepard surged forward with a flurry of blows. Ashley was able to deflect most of them but Shepard got a few solid hits on her before Ashley dodged away.

“Here’s some advice from a _real_ Spectre. Y’know, the kind that kills Reapers and ends wars?” Shepard said. Ashley rolled her eyes. “Any advantage you got? Use it. For me, it’s my unmatched strength and fortitude. For you –”

“—it’s my sexy and dangerous presence on the battlefield?”

“I was gonna say ‘delicate sensibilities and dainty touch’ but sure, whatever you say.”

Shepard advanced on Ashley again and made another swing. Ashley deflected the blow and answered with one of her own, knocking Shepard back with a hit to the chest.

“If I ever need to tickle a Reaper to death, I’ll give you –” Shepard began, but Ashley cut her off.

“Are you here to fight or are you going to talk me to the ground?” Ashley challenged.

Shepard grinned at that. “You want me to take you to the ground, Ash?” Shepard unleashed another flurry of blows on her, driving Ashley toward the back of the ring. “I’ll take you to the ground.”

They traded blows back and forth: dodging kicks, blocking punches, and sliding out of grapples. By the end they were both panting with exertion, their hearts pounding and their dark hair sticking to their sweat slicked skin.

Shepard made one last charge, throwing all of her strength into the final blow. But with a well-placed hold and a shift of her weight, Ashley redirected the momentum of Shepard’s swing. She caught just a glimpse of the surprised look on Shepard’s face before all 175 odd pounds of Shepard’s weight hit the floor with a resounding _thud_.

Ashley took a few steps forward to stand over Shepard, relishing her victory. “Had enough?” she asked between heavy breaths, a smug smile on her face.

Shepard groaned from the ground.

“I told you skipper, you can’t brute force your way through every problem.”

“But it’s so much easier that way,” Shepard complained.

Ashley offered her hand and Shepard took it. She helped Shepard to her feet, and suddenly they were very close. Shepard didn’t let go of her hand.

“You know me,” Shepard said, her voice low and a roguish smile on her face. “I like a little force when I take someone to the ground.”

“Is that a _line?”_ Ashley let out a breathless laugh. “Because it’s not a good one.”

“Listen. I’m just here to shoot shit and get paid, not write poetry.”

 _“‘Who are wise in love –’”_ Ashley began.

 _“‘—love most, say least.’”_ Shepard finished.

Ashley raised her brows. She was surprised, but pleasantly so. “I thought you weren’t one for poetry, Commander.”

Shepard shrugged. “Can’t write it, but I can read it. Besides –” there was that dirty smile again. “—sometimes you _can_ talk someone to the ground.”

“That line is famously about shutting up, you know.”

“It’s about showing,” Shepard said, as her hands found Ashley’s waist, “not telling,” Shepard continued as she leaned in to kiss her.

The way they both settled into the kiss so comfortably was unexpected, given their prolonged separation and rushed reunion. But Shepard’s rough hands fit so nicely in the curve of Ashley’s waist, and Ashley’s arms rested so perfectly around Shepard’s broad shoulders. It felt like they were two complementary pieces reunited into a complete whole. It felt like no time had passed at all.

“Mmm,” Ashley hummed as they slipped apart. “And how are you going to show me, skipper?” she teased.

“I could recite more poetry.”

“Oh?”

_“‘There once was a man from Rannoch –’”_

Ashley slugged Shepard’s shoulder and she laughed.

“You’re an ass,” Ashley said.

“I’m an ass…?” Shepard prodded.

“You’re an ass, _sir,”_ Ashley corrected.

Shepard looked like she was preparing a wiseass comment but Ashley cut her off with another kiss. Shepard seemed surprised at first, but Ashley could feel the way her lips curled into a smile against her. Ashley spread the fingers of one hand through Shepard’s dark hair and gripped her shoulder with the other, and Shepard’s hold on her waist pulled them closer together as the kiss deepened. Ashley could feel the heat of exertion radiating from Shepard’s body, feel her sweat-slicked skin against her own, feel her heart beating against her breast. The sensations of her spread warmth through Ashley’s body, from where they touched all the way down through her core. It awakened a want in her that Ashley hadn’t felt in a long time.

After Horizon, Ashley couldn’t help but feel like this Shepard was just a ghost – without touch, without warmth, perhaps even without a soul. A Cerberus made facsimile. But in this moment Shepard felt so _real,_ and she knew without a doubt that this was her Shepard, the flesh and blood original.

They both took a moment to catch their breath when Shepard pulled away from her. Shepard was still smiling, but when Ashley met her dark eyes she could feel the intensity of her gaze.

“My cabin?” Shepard asked.

“Ooh, and what will scuttlebutt say if someone sees me sneaking into the skipper’s cabin?” Ashley replied.

“Didn’t stop you last time.”

“Mmm. No, I think that this secret affair needs to stay secret.” Ashley slipped from Shepard’s arms, and then caught her hand in hers. She started to back toward the stacked crates behind them, and Shepard’s smile turned into a wide grin.

“This is supposed to be secret?” she asked.

Ashley put a finger to her lips. “No one will ever know.”

Ashley led Shepard by the hand behind the stacks of crates, far enough to be obscured from view. Ashley gave Shepard’s hand a tug. “Come here.”

Ashley caught just a flash of Shepard’s wicked smile as she closed the gap between them. Shepard’s mouth found hers, and Ashley met her with passion. Shepard’s fingers slipped into Ashley’s hair, and with dexterity that spoke of practice she undid her tidy bun. Ashley made a note to press Shepard about that later. Shepard’s hand combed through her hair and to the back of her head, holding Ashley in the kiss. When they finally separated, they were both breathing hard.

Ashley’s hands smoothed down from Shepard’s shoulders and down her front. They slid beneath her loose shirt, then up over the hard muscles of her abdomen. Shepard reached down and pulled her shirt over her head, letting it fall to the floor. Shepard reached out and took a hold of Ashley’s waist, pulling her into another kiss as she backed them both into a stack of crates.

Ashley felt a low crate press into her back, and following Shepard’s guidance she hopped atop it. Shepard’s hands skidded up Ashley’s front from her waist, under her shirt, and up her stomach to hold her breasts through her sports bra. Ashley raked her hand up the buzzed back of Shepard’s head and into the thick dark hair at her crown as Shepard broke the kiss to press her lips to her cheek, her jaw, and then her neck and down her chest. Shepard’s hands slipped beneath the tight fit of her sports bra to push it up over her breasts. She held her bared breasts in her hands, pushing and pulling them until Ashley moaned softly. She sucked in a breath as Shepard touched her tongue to one of her brown nipples, and then let her breath out in a sigh as she slid it into her mouth. Shepard sucked at one breast as she continued kneading the other, then swapped as her nipple stiffened into a peak.

Shepard let her tongue drag up and across Ashley’s nipple as she straightened up to standing again. She kissed her again, harder this time. As Ashley’s fingers curled around Shepard’s dark hair, Shepard’s fingers smoothed down her front to catch the waistband of Ashley’s shorts. Shepard separated from Ashley to pull them down her legs and drop them to the floor.

Shepard’s hand slid between her legs to stroke her panties with her fingers as she leaned forward to kiss her again. Ashley moaned softly into Shepard’s mouth, and she could feel Shepard smile against her.

“Are you wet for me, Ash?” Shepard asked quietly.

Ashley opened her mouth to reply, but the feeling of Shepard’s fingers slipping beneath the waistband of her panties and into her folds made her gasp. She figured Shepard probably found her answer down there, anyway. Whatever she might have said, it was silenced by Shepard kissing her again.

Shepard’s fingers slid easily up and down through her wetness. Her fingers found Ashley’s clit, and she rolled it beneath her fingertips. Her touch was light at first, but she applied more and more pressure as the kiss deepened, making Ashley’s smoldering want build and build.

Shepard broke the kiss to kiss down Ashley’s body as before, pausing at her neck to suck at her sensitive skin, and pausing again at her breast to suck on her nipple. Shepard knelt on the ground as she pressed her lips to Ashley’s belly, hooking her fingers over the waistband of her panties to pull them down her legs. Shepard gave her soaked panties an appraising look before dropping them to the ground. Shepard grinned up at her, and Ashley gave a huff.

“You’re an asshole,” Ashley said.

“I’m an asshole…?” Shepard prodded.

“You’re an asshole, _sir,”_ Ashley corrected.

“That’s right. I’m commander asshole on this boat, and you better remember it.”

Shepard sat up on her knees to run her hands up and down Ashley’s thighs, stopping at the knee to push her legs farther apart. She shifted closer to the crate, and then laid a kiss on the inside of Ashley’s thigh.

“Funny that you’re the one on your knees though, Commander,” Ashley teased.

“What makes you think I can’t command from down here?” Shepard responded.

Ashley had an answer, but it was lost in the heavy breath that escaped her when Shepard pressed her thumb to her clit. She rolled her stiffened mound beneath the pad of her thumb as she curled her fingers through her folds. Shepard was watching her closely, and Ashley made a considerable effort to keep a straight face. She was sure it was only somewhat successful.

“I got a command for you, Lieutenant Commander.”

“What’s that, Commander?”

“I want you to come for me.”

Before Ashley could even think of a reply, Shepard leaned forward and gave her a wide lick between her folds. Ashley moaned as Shepard explored her with her tongue. Ashley spread her fingers through Shepard’s thick hair, and her head dropped back against the crate.

“Ohhh, don’t stop,” Ashley said softly.

“Don’t stop…?” Shepard prodded.

Ashley laughed. “Don’t stop, _sir.”_

Ashley could feel Shepard’s lips lift into a smile as she returned to her work. Shepard lifted Ashley’s legs and rested them over her shoulders as she settled into it, varying her licking with gentle sucking of her clit. Ashley moaned again when Shepard slid her clit into her mouth and sucked in earnest. Ashley’s moans and sighs were becoming more frequent as Shepard worked her with her mouth – using her lips to suck on her clit and using the breadth of her tongue to lick up the whole of her and the tip to roll her clit beneath it.

Ashley could feel that awakened want burning inside her, spreading fire through her veins and lighting up her nerves with desire. “I’m gonna come,” Ashley whispered. Shepard reoriented to flick her tongue across her clit, maintaining a quick rhythm that made Ashley moan with pleasure.

It was as the fire of her orgasm was about to overcome her when she heard the doors to the cargo bay open, followed by the sound of two men’s voices. Ashley felt a cold sweat break out on her back and Shepard went rigid beneath her.

“I don’t know, Esteban,” came Vega’s voice from across the cargo bay, “I’m not sure _anything_ could save the Sorcerors.”

“Maybe not this season,” answered Cortez’s voice, “but next season anything could change.”

“Only if they change the rules and start counting fumbles.”

“That was a bullshit call and you know it.”

“Whatever you say, Esteban.”

“And it’s draft season soon, and there’s some real talent out there. If you’ve been following the college games –”

Ashley felt Shepard press a soft kiss to the inside of her thigh, drawing her eyes downward. Shepard was watching her with that intense gaze, and somehow Ashley knew what she was going to do even before she did it.

Shepard shifted on her knees, closer to the crate, and then pressed her mouth back into Ashley’s folds.

Ashley sucked in a quiet breath as Shepard resumed her work. Her tongue roamed between her folds, and her lips closed around her clit. Ashley felt her heart pound, her breath catching in her throat as the thrill of being caught reignited all that want in her.

Ashley hummed with pleasure as Shepard lapped at her clit. Shepard shifted beneath her, sliding one of Ashley’s legs off her shoulder and using her freed hand to press her thighs apart. Her hand smoothed up the inside of her thigh, then down the junction between her thigh and her pelvis, then into the wet heat between her legs. Ashley gasped as Shepard’s finger pressed against her and then slid inside her, and bit down a moan as she began to stroke along the inside of her.

Ashley’s hips began to roll as her pleasure rose, leaning into the pressure of Shepard’s finger inside her and mouth against her. The sounds of Cortez and Vega’s conversation had faded into background noise, along with the thrumming of the ship’s engines. Ashley’s want was building to its climax when suddenly the quiet was broken by Vega’s voice coming from right behind the crate.

Ashley tensed at the sound but Shepard continued, unbothered. Every sensation felt amplified, heightened by the rush of knowing that Vega was just behind the crate she was leaning against. Shepard flicked her tongue across her clit, going back to that quick rhythm from before, and Ashley felt the fire of her orgasm scorching away the last of her self-restraint. When Shepard slipped a second finger inside her, all that want flash ignited into a burst of pleasure. Ashley clapped a hand over her mouth to muffle her moans as the heat washed over her in waves, making her fingers grip – white knuckled – the edge of the crate.

Ashley’s hushed moans and heavy breaths were overlapped by the sound of Cortez and Vega trading barbs in Spanish. And as Ashley began to cool from the heat of her orgasm, she realized that the two men were none the wiser.

The immediacy of her pleasure gone, the fear of getting caught rose to the forefront of her mind. The sound of Vega's loud, brash laughter made her tense again. Ashley looked over her shoulder at the stack of crates behind her and thankfully couldn’t see Vega, but she could still hear him right behind her.

When Ashley looked down at her, Shepard was sitting on her heels, wiping her mouth off with her hand. She gave her another roguish smile.

“What do we do now?” Ashley mouthed at her.

Shepard responded with an obscene hand gesture. Ashley kicked at her head but Shepard dodged away, stifling a laugh.

Shepard put a finger to her lips, and then opened her omnitool. She tapped out a quick command, and from across the room Ashley could hear Cortez’s console beep.

“Got a ping from the Commander,” Cortez called.

“If we’re on unboxing duty again…” Vega grumbled, his voice retreating from the crates as he headed toward Cortez’s console.

Shepard leaned into her comm and spoke in a low voice. “Cortez.” Her voice reverberated from the console. “Is Vega with you?”

“Yes he is, sir.”

“Good. I need you two to report to engineering to take inventory of the new components for the FTL drive. Tali will assist you.”

“Isn’t that something the Lieutenant Commander should be doing?” Vega protested.

“The Lieutenant Commander is busy at the moment.” Shepard shot Ashley a devilish look. “She’s swabbing decks in this maid getup –” Ashley’s eyes widened, mortified. “Y'know, with the frilly apron and shit –” Ashley made another kick at Shepard’s head but she deflected the blow. “—which is weird, because I didn’t even ask her to do that. Not that I mind it.”

“Oo-kay,” Vega answered.

Cortez leaned into the mic. “Respectfully Commander, I want nothing to do with whatever this is.”

“Just take care of the inventory, alright? Shepard out.”

The two men stood in stunned silence and Ashley was worried that they wouldn’t actually leave. After a few seconds Vega broke the silence.

“Was that a joke? Or was that a real order?”

Cortez sighed. “I never really know with the Commander. But I’m going to report to engineering anyway.”

Ashley could hear Cortez’s footsteps heading toward the elevator. Vega groaned, and shortly after his heavy footfalls joined Cortez’s. The elevator doors opened, and as they stepped inside Vega began complaining again, this time out of earshot.

At the sound of the elevator doors closing, Shepard collapsed on the floor in laughter.

“That was _not_ funny.” Ashley tried to maintain an irritated expression, resisting the lifting of her lips into a smile.

“It was fucking hilarious is what it was.”

“You’re dead to me, Commander.” Ashley hopped down off the crate to stand over Shepard. Shepard opened one dark eye to look at her.

“I’ve already been dead once, so,” Shepard responded.

The pang of guilt Ashley felt must have shown on her face, because Shepard’s smile faltered.

“Hey,” Shepard said, her smile turned reassuring, “I’m just hard to kill. Can’t get rid of me that easy.”

“I know, but…” Ashley trailed off.

“Two years is a long time, Ash.” Shepard’s voice was uncharacteristically soft. “I’m not angry.” Shepard paused. “Not anymore, at least,” she amended.

Ashley was glad for that. Shepard never responded to the message she sent her after their explosive meeting on Horizon. Their reunion in Vancouver was frigid, and their argument on Mars was heated. There was a lot for her to be angry about.

Which is why Ashley never expected to wake up in Huerta Memorial and see Shepard sitting at her bedside, watching her with that intense gaze. She brought her the collected works of Tennyson, Ashley remembered. In the days that followed they didn’t speak about Mars, or Vancouver, or Horizon. Those conversations would come, in time. But for now maybe it was better to forget their angry words and leave the apologies unsaid.

Maybe that was Shepard’s funny way of loving most and saying least.

Ashley offered her hand and Shepard took it. She helped Shepard to her feet, and then pulled her close. “Just don’t make a habit out of disappearing and reappearing years later to save the galaxy,” she said.

“Or you’ll kick my ass?”

“Or I’ll kick your ass.”

“Not planning on it,” Shepard replied as they leaned into another kiss.

When they parted, Shepard was wearing her most austere commander expression. “Put your pants on Lieutenant Commander, we have a galaxy to save.”

Ashley slugged her shoulder, but it just made Shepard laugh again.

“You’re such an asshole,” Ashley said.

“I’m such an asshole…?” Shepard prodded.

“You’re such an asshole, _sir_ , _”_ Ashley corrected.

“That’s right. I’m commander asshole on this boat.” Shepard grinned. “And if you’re up for the ride, you could be my XO. Think you can handle it, Lieutenant Commander?”

The question made Ashley think about all the places they’ve been. From their meeting on Eden Prime to their night in Shepard’s cabin. From their separation over Alchera to their reunion on Horizon. From their escape from Earth to... Ashley wasn’t sure where to next. But wherever they were going, she was sure she wanted to be at Shepard’s side. Her Shepard. The real Shepard. The cocky, irreverent, hot blooded Shepard she knew.

Ashley matched Shepard’s grin with a smirk. “You know I can handle it.”

**Author's Note:**

> Merlin and Vivien -- Alfred, Lord Tennyson
> 
> for writing updates and useless facts about my OCs you can find me on tumblr at [droideka-exe](https://droideka-exe.tumblr.com) or twitter at [droideka_exe](https://twitter.com/droideka_exe)
> 
> I am taking writing commissions! check out my info [here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fRwljLTPagrvVl9f9GmJVgKrS_aMGUP0UsNm8jbQZQ8/edit?usp=sharing)


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